Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole: Parker Wins with Crushing Knockout in Second Round

Image credits: Source Link

Joseph Parker took just two rounds to knock out Martin Bakole, a top-tier heavyweight who came in at the shortest possible notice to replace Daniel Dubois, at the ANB Arena in Riyadh. Bakole was attempting a feat that was surely without precedent in the sport, traveling from Kinshasa in the DR Congo to take on Parker, another world-ranked heavyweight, later that night for the latter's WBO Interim title. Parker jabbed diligently at the 310lb behemoth, but Bakole cuffed him with a hard right just before the end of the first round.

The two tapped gloves respectfully and then Bakole allowed himself a brief moment of celebration, but Parker then bowled over his right, clipping Bakole high on the head, robbing him of his balance, and causing him to topple over. Bakole used the ropes to heave himself upright, but the referee would not let him continue, ruling him out at 2:17 of the second round. Parker's victory means he should be the mandatory challenger for the WBO world title, held by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. The WBO Interim belt is a significant step towards Parker's goal of becoming a world champion again.

In other news, Shakur Stevenson defeated Josh Padley after three knockdowns in the ninth round forced the Briton's corner to throw in the towel and pull him out in the break. Stevenson, an elite champion, had already won world titles in three weight classes and is in his prime. He took the measure of Padley in the opening round and quickly closed the distance between them in the second, clipping the plucky challenger. Padley took the hits and manfully swung back when he could, but there was a gulf in speed as well as skill. Stevenson picked out more clean shots in the third round, closing it out with a hard straight one-two, and Padley had to shuffle his feet beneath him as he tried to keep his composure.

The partnership between Martin Bakole and his trainer, Billy Nelson, appears to be bearing plenty of fruit, with Bakole quietly going about his business while some of the other names in the division have been taking the headlines. At 6ft 6in and weighing 280lbs, Bakole cuts a fearsome figure and has put together an impressive professional record of 21 wins – 16 by way of knockout - with just one defeat. That loss came seven years ago, and his undoubted pedigree is reflected by the fact he is comfortably well within the top five in the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight rankings.

The event also featured a highly anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light-heavyweight title. The fight was part of a blockbuster Riyadh Season bill, which was live on Sky Sports Box Office. The card included several high-profile matches, with Joseph Parker's victory over Martin Bakole being a highlight of the evening. The event showcased the best of boxing, with top-tier fighters competing for prestigious titles. Here are the match scores:

• Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole: Parker wins by knockout in the second round
• Shakur Stevenson vs Josh Padley: Stevenson wins by technical knockout in the ninth round

The tournament schedule was as follows:

1. Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole
2. Shakur Stevenson vs Josh Padley
3. Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol

The current team rankings are:

• WBO Interim heavyweight title: Joseph Parker
• WBC lightweight world champion: Shakur Stevenson

parker bakole box joseph martin tonight what knockout wbo oleksandr